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What if you’re not lost, just living in a part of the story no one talks about? Holding Patterns is a podcast about the in-between. The messy, undefined seasons of life where nothing quite makes sense. Hosted by Ashton Arnold, a deeply curious traveler who is carving out a life beyond the conventional path. Ashton leads guests through the kind of conversations that get honest, intimate, and are rooted in what it actually means to be human. This show is for people who’ve felt unsure, off-course, or like they’re making it up as they go. Each episode features a conversation with someone who has built a life outside the typical script, unpacking the moments where success felt out of reach. From travel and relationships to money and mental health, nothing’s off-limits. Holding Patterns is here to remind you that you’re not behind, you’re not alone, and you’re allowed to figure it out your own way.
Nico x Ash V2
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[00:00:00]
Welcome to Holding Patterns
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Ashton: Hi, I'm Ashton, and this is Holding Patterns. It's a podcast about the in-between moments of life. The ones full, full, full of uncertainty. I have spent the last couple years moving abroad, starting over, and getting well acquainted with these holding patterns. Through all of my experiences, I've learned quickly that these moments aren't empty.
They're some of the most impactful times we can go through. So this is a place to celebrate the in-between and to talk to people who have been through it too. Today on holding patterns, episode five, I am talking to a friend I met in New Zealand. His name is Nico and he is [00:01:00] from Columbia. We met working at a ski resort.
Ca Captain's Cafe, and quickly bonded honestly over these in-between periods. I just love talking to him. We have such good conversations and I'm happy that everybody gets to now sit in on one of them. So here is the episode with Nico.
Meet Nico
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ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Hello everybody and welcome to another episode of Holding Patterns. Today I am talking to my friend Nico, when I was thinking about who I wanted to have on here, Nico was one of the first people I thought of.
'cause I knew you would be a really good, guest for this. So I'm really excited to talk to you and yeah, if you wanna give everybody like an overview of who you are, whatever you wanna say about [00:02:00] yourself, but kind of introduce yourself.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Thank you Ash. Uh, first of all, thank you for having me here.
with you. for the people that don't know me, I'm Nico. I've been traveling the world about for six years. So I've been just on the move and trying to figure life and what's happening in my life every day, And yeah, I've experienced a lot of good things and also bad things,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
and you have like very big background and travel and being, going to a ton of different countries, living in different countries, but also have a marketing kind of social media background as well.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: yeah, yeah.
I did work from about six, seven years before deciding to travel the world, always on marketing. So I've been on the corporate life for a long time.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: yep.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: And some decisions in my life that we'll talk later on made me travel
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Leave the corporate life behind. But now, now you're going back to it possibly.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: [00:03:00] Yeah. Yeah. Hopefully I.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Exactly. Exactly. Thanks for introducing all of that. I guess we'll just kind of dive into it. what have been impactful moments, experiences, like events that have happened for you that have really defined the path that you've walked the last, you know, 30 or so years of your life.
to help give people who don't know you better ba and for me, 'cause I don't know everything. So, just better context.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: everything.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: I am sure I'm gonna learn something right now.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: but Sure.
Family Roots and the Wake Up Call
---
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Uh, so as most of us, I would say I grew up on a common family, very familiar place where with my mom and dad, we grew up like with the idea of you guys study. On the corporate LA ladder.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: what did your parents do for work?
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: They're, they studied business management,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Both of them [00:04:00] did. Okay.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: yeah, both of them. I think that guided me to also do the
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I always had in mind, I need to start working on a corporate life. I wanna do good. And I decided to study business management also. And I always went on the marketing side, eventually I started working on big multinational companies.
Companies from France, companies from Canada. I had a good career. And then step stone that really decided to start making me who I am. Uh, my dad got a heart attack 2017 and he survived. It was just, uh, an experience that changed our lives.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Of course. Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: from there on, I saw that life is very delicate and you need to enjoy it better.
Instead of like keeping your corporate life and just staying there. You need to just live a little bit of life.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: How old were you when, when that happened?
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I was [00:05:00] 25 if I'm not
wrong.
Motorcycle Trip Sparks Change
---
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: when that happened, we decided we were gonna do a South American trip around, around South America in motorcycle with my dad and my brother.
And it was absolutely amazing. it was very good for bonding with my family, with my dad, with my brother. And I started feeling while I was traveling, like, like I've always traveled before, like with my family friends, but I was. Let's say I was on holidays, I was not traveling. And now with all my experience, I've learned that there's a big difference on
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: There is totally, yeah, there's such a difference.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: when I started doing South America, I met lots of backpackers, just bonding with them. I started realizing that there's to life and that we can do something else.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: even
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah,
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I came back to Columbia. the company I was working with, they gave me like some time off.
So when I got back, I started working with [00:06:00] them again, and I got back to corporate life and I was like, yeah, I've made my trip. It was amazing. But then I felt like it was itching, like the need of travel, I couldn't stay. I was like, looking to my dreams, my life. I was like, what? What's going on?
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: All, all my conversations with the people I met on my, on South America were like, there need to be a way where I can travel and just like be happy.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I started like planning a little bit. Eh, I kept working for maybe like two years.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Okay.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I, I always had in my mind like, I wanna travel more, but I was always like postponing it.
Booking the One Way Leap
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nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: And one day I just went into Skyscanner. What's going on? I just looked for flights and I was like, okay, I'm leaving in six months.
And I booked a flight from here to Spain.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Wow.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I told my mom, went down [00:07:00] to the dining, dining room and told my mom, Hey mom, I'm leaving in six months. I started
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Love it.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: like just how I was gonna quit, how I was gonna save money and everything.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Did you have an idea in your head how long you wanted to be gone for, or you just were like, we'll see what happens.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: ideally the plan was for two years,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Okay.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: eh. But yeah, that was just the plan. I don't know. I didn't know if I was gonna be happy traveling or I just was gonna
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: But I said like, for two years I saved enough money for what I was planning. the day came, I went to the airport with my family, we cried and I stepped into the unknown,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yes.
something that I would to talk zone. That's something very important. Life, living life, realizing what you need Do you [00:08:00] feel like before you had this like motorcycle trip experience, you had left your comfort zone Much
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: not really like,
obviously now and then doing different things, but
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: not really jumping off your comfort zone.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Mm-hmm.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: was doing some steps or just trying a little bit, but this was just, I quit my corporate life. I left my family, my home, my friends. I just, I went skydiving from my zone.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: I love it. I love it. You fully leaped. Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Yeah.
The Impact of Fear
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ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: you, so before we continue moving forward into what that all leads to, so you mentioned that the constructs you were raised within, like the idea of success wasCorporate life, corporate ladder going into business.
That was, I mean, I think we've talked about this, but very similar for me too. Like I got a, I got a business degree every, every adult in my life, [00:09:00] anyone who I had looked to at being successful had like basically followed that path of going corporate, So did you have anybody you looked to that had gone and done like some very different path or that was like more untraditional?
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: No, all, all my surroundings were all my family, my friends, everyone I was surrounded with, they've been on the corporate life.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Were managers. Some were CEOs, like I've been surrounded by it. And I remember when I told my parents, they were like obviously shocked, but they supported me
or someone who was like, really against it was my grandfather.
I think they,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Really?
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: the, their way of thinking, like very antique way of thinking. They were like, he told me you need, what are you doing? You're throwing your life to the garbage. You need to stay here. You need to be a, become a [00:10:00] manager. You need to run a company. You need to do those things.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: yes grandpa, and I love you and I will do it one day, I feel right now I need a change in my life.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: I think anyone who's probably lived similarly to us or has basically chosen a path that was very different from everyone they were around has like, felt this, the fear of other people. of course we all have a baseline of fear and anxiety, but I was more excited, I think about all of these different paths I went than fearful, but then it was other people's fear, parents, friends, like family that I feel like I just took that fear on and it was so he, it felt so heavy.
But was that something that you experienced, like talking about your grandfather or just being the one person that chose the different path? Like could you feel the weight of that fear or was that something easy for you to kind of push to the side and just like focus on your own?
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: course you [00:11:00] feel the weight of everyone. Like even if my parents supported me, I could notice their, their fear.
Like were really happy for me, but they were like scared, like, what's going happen to Nico?
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Uh, and I was also scared. Like of friends told me, what are you doing? Are you crazy? And I was always thinking to myself like, am I taking the right decision? Am I doing something crazy?
the first week I landed in Spain, like I felt like in Spain, like at home. I was doing some paperwork I needed to do, but then a friend called me like, Hey, Nico, I'm going to Africa. Uh, you want to join?
And I was like, yeah, let's go. I'll join you. That flight, I, I think I tried the whole flight from Spain to Tanzani.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Aw.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: trying, taking, like always thinking, am I doing the right [00:12:00] thing? What's, what's gonna happen?
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I was really stressed, nervous, was not feeling it.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Was it, was it the unknown that was stressing you out the most?
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: they, yeah, they're known. And also like the things, you are leaving, be behind lots of things. Like
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Mm-hmm.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: am I gonna do? What's gonna happen with that? is gonna change when you come back.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
Hakuna Matata Omen
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nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: but then I landed in Tanzania, and I don't know if you've heard like the language in Tanzania, it's called Swahili
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Oh yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: The Lion King, it's based on Swahili.
So lots of words from the Lion King, like Simba or Ha. They do have a meaning and they do use them there.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Really? Okay.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: So I landed crying, uh, what's going on? And they, I get down on the plane. And someone like, let's say like in Hawaii, when they say hello with the flowers and everything, people were [00:13:00] saying, matata. And I
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Oh my God.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: God, what's happening? at that moment I stopped crying and I was like, ha, the Lion King was my favorite movie when I was a
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Oh,
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Ha Matata. I have tattoo on myself. Ha matata. And I was just like, okay, Nico, this has to be a sign. just enjoy the moment. Enjoy life. You are here right now. Just, just be happy.
And that
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: yeah,
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Like that moment just getting down the plane and hearing Haku matata, I would like,
energy up. have you, have you ever read The Alchemist?
I haven't.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: No. Okay. I'm reading it right now. It's like, I know so many people have read it, but I didn't read it in high school, so I'm reading it right now. And a big part of the book is about omens and how we all have this,we all have our personal, um, what do you call it?
Personal legend or personal, something that we're meant to go do. And [00:14:00] if you're on the right track you'll see these omens. And so throughout the whole book, it's like him having these little moments that are like omens or I've heard them called like people who are religious called them like God winks or like stuff like that.
But it sounds when you were talking about that, I'm like, oh, this is your omen. You're on the right path. It was just like narrowing it in for you.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: yeah, it was a
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: It was just like, relax, Nick, you're
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah. Oh, that's so beautiful. I love that.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I think those were the best. That was the best year of my life, I would say.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: S
Backpacking Highs and Lows
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ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: o you went to Spain first, then ended up in Africa, and you were in Africa for the whole year.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Yeah, a little bit less, but I
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Okay.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I backpacked a lot of Africa. I did
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Okay.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: countries.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Wow.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I was exploring, I was happy, I was meeting people. I was really backpacking. Like one
day I say, okay, I'm gonna leave this town. I'll just go grab a bus and see where I go. [00:15:00] met people, they were like, oh, you have to go to Malawi. What's Malawi like? I've never
heard of that country before.
Of course there were days you were sad. I was sad, difficult times, but I was really happy.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: that's what travel has always given me and there's other experiences in life that for sure give you that too. Like being at concerts for me is that feeling of being alive, but the way travel it lights up every single one of your senses.
Everything is going and there's just nothing like it. But going back to how we were talking about the start of how holiday or vacations are different than traveling. I feel like holidays you're leaving your comfort zone. You're leaving home and you're going somewhere new, but you still kind of have a plan, I guess.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Yeah, yeah,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: But travel you are fully leaning into the freedom, the uncertainty, the people around you. that is the difference to me of what traveling it is like just lean into it and see [00:16:00] where the world will take you.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: exactly. When you're traveling, I don't plan everything, but you have to.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: There's an outline.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: yeah, you have to see what's going on.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: How are you gonna get from point A to point B?
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Like really stressful. You're
always like, on the move, you're
changing life, changing scenery.
The Heartbeat Analogy
---
Ashton: Well, I feel like this is a good moment to tie it back to that whole heartbeat thing, which I actually, on the very first episode, I recorded brought up the heartbeat analogy and I mentioned you in it, and I said that Nico's the one that taught or that explained this, but this exact conversation, what we're talking about with travel just because there's bad and stressful experiences.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Doesn't take away from the highs and the lows. But I would love for you to explain the heartbeat analogy because I, I did my best, but I feel like it came out of your mouth you introduced it to me. So from the man himself. Let's hear it. it's something I heard. I don't remember [00:17:00] where, but I think when I heard it, it changed my life and my
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Change mine too. I wanna get it tattooed on me.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: So basically like when you're on your comfort zone, what are you doing? You're on a flat line. Yes, everything can be amazing, but it's just flat. And then you realize when you, when you see a heartbeat, when you're on a flat line, you're dead. You don't have movement. Your heart is absolutely dead.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yep.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: need ups and downs, A good heartbeat. It goes Babu, Babu, Babu.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: That's a healthy one.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: that's a healthy one. And what does that mean? You need to good things and be happy, but you're also gonna have bad times. You're gonna be sad, but that, from that sad moment, you're gonna jump to a good moment.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Mm-hmm.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: that's, I, I feel that's the meaning of life for me. Just
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: too.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: equilibrium of things and bad things.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: [00:18:00] Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: you just need to jump from the comfort zone. just make your heartbeat go move.
If you stay a long time, there, you're dead, man.
You, you. Yeah. And I think it's like so ingrained into the whole topic and mission and statement of why I want to even make this podcast is 'cause I think as, um, and I've said this so many times, but we just are so good at celebrating the highs, but we look at the lows as if we have to avoid them and do everything we can to avoid being in those periods.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: But
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Yeah, but those
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: we need them. We have to have them. Yeah. We have to have them. And they're okay. Like, it's not a, they're not inherently bad, it's just like a different human experience.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: it's, and it's something, it's a conversation I always had with friends or with family. I used to call them and they were like, oh, you're always [00:19:00] traveling. You're so happy. You must be happy.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: ex. Yes.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Yes, of course I am I'm enjoying life. what you don't see from, I've sent you pictures, I've sent you things, what you don't see.
I've also been sad. I've also been lonely. I've cried,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah,
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: and it's hard. I'm not saying traveling is easy. You need those moments to get up and just like, Hey, you're, you're feeling lonely, okay, go to the hostel, to the common area. Chat with someone,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: yeah, yeah,
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: you're not feeling comfortable in the city. Okay? Then move.
Go find something. Like if you don't get those sad moments, you're gonna stay in a depressed zone
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: up.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: And well, yeah, and just hearing you say that it's made me think like you also by. By surrendering yourself to that experience, to like these highs and the lows and, and not just in that flat line area. [00:20:00] You also build so much resilience to the lows because you're experiencing them so much that if you're like, yeah, if you're just coasting in a flat line and then you hit a dip, I feel like it's so much harder and to get yourself out of that or to like just sink into it.
If that's the only time you've ever experienced a one out of 10, But where I feel like travel, and I'm sure there's other experiences you can equate to this, but travel and putting yourself the ups and the downs, the ups and the downs, it's like you just become so much more resilient to
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Yeah, you do.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: those experiences, which I think is a skill that would make everyone.
Probably happier and more content if they just like accepted the fact that they're gonna have these moments in life and not wallow in them. Right. But
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: accept those low points, you start everything is different. You need to accept
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: and just
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah,
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: also [00:21:00] enjoy your lows.
yeah. Yes, I totally agree. hopefully this podcast and these conversations contribute to all of us being able to accept the in-betweens and the lows, easier. Thank you for explaining that analogy. it's,
it's easier. It's easier in Spanish. I tried my
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: you can say it in Spanish too. we can be a b.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Leave that for another one,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Okay, we'll save that. That's gonna be about, that's gonna be season two for doing it in Spanish.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Spanish podcast.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: yeah, exactly. It will force me to practice. but, okay.
COVID Pause and Corporate Return
---
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: So going back to the timeline, we kind of left off of best year of your life going through Africa.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I think like from living my best year of my life, then it came something that I'm sure it affect every one of us. COVID,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: yes. Yes.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: up, I was traveling, I was in India. I was like, what's gonna happen with my life?
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah. Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: do [00:22:00] I need to also stop traveling? Do I need to go back to corporate life?
as I mentioned, my plan was to travel two years. When COVID happened, started, it was like almost a year
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Okay.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I was managed to get back to Columbia before everything went crazy, and I said, okay, I'm stuck here. What am I gonna corporate.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: He went back
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I went back, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed corporate life. I just like felt at the moment I needed like a different thing in my life,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: I managed to find great companies again to work with.
Australian Working Holiday Visa
---
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Time went by and two years later, Australia decided to open borders and I said, should I leave again?
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Why Australia? I.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: days when I was in India, when I was in Africa, actually, I realized I never heard of them before, but [00:23:00] work on holiday visas.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yep. Yep.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: like, oh, that sounds good. I'll apply. And when I was in Africa, I applied to my Australian visa. I got it accepted. Everything was amazing. But because of COVID, Australia closed the borders.
I couldn't travel.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Right, right.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: when they, when they opened borders, I received an email, Hey, Nico, your visa is granted again. And I'm like,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Mm-hmm.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Ooh, should I go back? Should I, It's pulling you back in.
Should I finish what?
Second Leap Abroad
---
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I wasn't able to finish, I decided for the second time in my life to jump again. I broke up with my girlfriend. quit my job. I say goodbye to my friends and family again, and I just left then. In Australia. I enjoyed the of the working holiday visas,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah, it's amazing.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: and then I did two years in Australia where I was able to [00:24:00] just travel and I used that time to travel Southeast Asia, China, to Japan. Then I went for one year to New Zealand where I was happy to meet you
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: And where we met, yes.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: met.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: also with the working holiday visa. Amazing experience.
Backpacking Fatigue
---
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: at that point I started missing my corporate life again. And
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Like the stability of it.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: the stability, exactly, like I got tired. You
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: of traveling,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: you do, you get tired of it. Yeah,
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: your whole life in one backpack. I loved it and I was happy, but I missed having a home. I missed
having stability and a routine,
So I started like planning my way back. I went to Australia for my last time and then now I'm here back to Columbia after going all around the world, visiting over 70 countries, I, [00:25:00] I think I'm done. I think I'm
looking
for,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: there's no way you're not gonna travel anymore. But yeah, I
get, I get what you're saying.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: there's different ways to travel.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Totally.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I think I'm, done, but like, I feel I've done my part of backpacking,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Well, never say never. You might have a, like a quarter life or like a third quarter life crisis when you're six 60 and go do it all again.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Why not? Uh, when I'm
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Why not?
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: finish traveling the countries that I'm, I'm missing.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Exactly.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: but yeah, it was just a moment in my life, a
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: needed
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yes,
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: zone.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: absolutely.
Jumping into the Unknown Again
---
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: You left for the first time, and that was obviously the first jump you took into uncertainty and the unknown. And when you came back for COVID, I'm assuming you probably got adjusted back into life in Columbia and being around friends and family [00:26:00] and
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: back to your familiar place, what was different about the second jump you took, back into traveling? Was the fear still there? Was it easier?I, I think the fear is always there. Even to come back Colombia where my home is, I fear it,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Mm-hmm.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: every time you're making a big change in your life, you will always be scared.
I would say it was less scary to jump for the second time, but
you're
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: prepared for what's coming, especially when you're just traveling like that. Going back to,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: a new country where you don't have a job, where you don't know anything, you've never met anyone from there going to the unknown, oh, it's.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah. Yes I do. I totally do. it's so funny how we like, obviously we both ended up in New Zealand together, but I also was living in Spain and I met somebody [00:27:00] who introduced me to the working holiday concept. I didn't know what that was. And then, yeah, it led me to New Zealand and I moved to New Zealand with no friends and no job and no home and all of it.
which is also why I think the relationships you make when you're traveling are like so impactful and deep versus somebody you just meet in a city or at your corporate job. It's 'cause we might have all come from different places and different experiences, but you just can relate on such a deep emotional level to.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Yeah.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: The highs and the lows. The heartbeat. The heartbeat. so since we laid out your whole life, let's kind of narrow the lens onto one specific time. when you have found yourself in a holding pattern or in one of those lows of the heartbeat. I'll let you guide where you wanna lead us.
But where I would like you to start [00:28:00] is describe what life looked like before you entered the holding pattern.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I'll talk about when I started traveling,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Okay.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I think that was the big jump and when everything like started clicking
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Okay, sweet.
So
Corporate Comfort Trap
---
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I'm gonna say life was amazing. had everything settled down, I was accomplishing what everyone taught me I need to accomplish. I was working on a company. I was growing up, I was climbing the corporate ladder I loved it. It was really good. And I had amazing friends. I still have them, but like Friday you party, Saturday you party, but then during the week you just go back to your computer.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: every, every week was all pretty much the same.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Mm-hmm.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I had a girlfriend back then and we were happy.
We lasted like four [00:29:00] years,
then things started clicking and being like, you need a change in your life. A a high was calling me. Something need to happen. Like, come on,
in a flat zone. Yeah. How to get the heartbeat going.
Yeah, you need some CPR. Come on, wake up. Eh,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: I love that.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I was happy, but I was dying inside. I feel,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: when you say you were dying, what? Were you feeling were you not getting excited about anything? Were you not hopeful? Can you describe that?
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I feel I was happy because that's what they teach you. You need to be
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Mm
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: because you're making things work.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: I'm growing on the company. I have a girlfriend. probably get married.
Checking the boxes
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: check, check, check, check. So you're like, yes, I'm doing what needs to be done to be happy.
[00:30:00] But then if you go deep down on your heart, on your mind, you start realizing there are things that are missing.
Life Is Short Wakeup
---
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: before your dad had a heart attack and you were like faced, literally faced with life or death, do you think you were even aware of the fact that things were missing from your life?
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Not at all like.
I didn't mention that one, but like my dad having a heart attack and then a friend from school, he had a car crash and he
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Oh wow. Oh wow.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: two things happened, pretty much in the same time, lapse,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: And I said I'm 25 years old. my friend's life finished, when he was 25. why do I need to wait until I'm 60 when I get my pension and when I can just like travel, like I, I don't know if I'm gonna reach 60. I hope I do,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I, I need to do something different right now when I [00:31:00] have the energy, when I have some money, when I have my parent support, my brother's support, I think those two moments changed everything. I would have not realized that I was missing something before
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: because as, as we were talking, we both were growing up, we were checking boxes.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Mm-hmm.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: what life teaches you is you just need to go checking boxes.
but there's more boxes outside of what you are always taught,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah. There's more experiences to be, to be had outside of the boxes.
New Boxes to Check
---
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: isn't it funny though, like we come from completely different countries and different cultures and different families and different lifestyles, but somehow we, we both had those boxes and those feelings, like, I think it's so interesting.
It, spans cultures.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: all around the world. Everyone
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah, I do too.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: on the same boxes. Yeah. Different cultures maybe have some different small difference in [00:32:00] some boxes, but mainly it's the same. But then you start meeting people and you start seeing that there's more boxes to the boxes you need.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yes.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: like, hey,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah,
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: want to check your box of skydiving? Let's add a new box and
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: yeah. Let's
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: gonna go
skydiving,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: keep it going.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: diving on the Great Barrier Reef, eat, chicken tamaza in India.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: I
mean, now you've added Tanzania in hearing them say, Hoku Ada to me, to my boxes. So that's on there.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Come on. You need to experience that,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: I know, I do.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: oh, it was the best feeling of our life.
just arriving there and saying I cried.
I love hearing you talk about travel 'cause the way you story tell about your adventures in travel. you can pass that feeling so easily, through conversation that it's like, I need to go have that. I need to go have that experience.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: I love it.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: uh, and it's something I love, I love talking about my travels and if [00:33:00] any one of our listeners eventually decides to jump and travel, I'll be very happy for you guys,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah, yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: or not just to travel, just to have a leap from your comfort zone.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: maybe you don't like traveling, but you want to change something,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yes. Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: if you hear this and you do it eventually, remember there's a lot of people that wanna do the
same. And you were brave and you jumped.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah. Yeah. I love that. That's a good thing to call out and say.
Buying the Ticket
---
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Okay, so you're living your corporate life. Um, something's missing. so then what, what makes you press the button to buy a flight? how do you get there? Can you remember what that felt like?
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Uh, yeah. Like knew I wanted to start traveling and I didn't know where I wanted to go. I didn't know what I wanted to do. So I think every day I was jumping into Skyscanner, seeing. Places going on Instagram, Should I go directly [00:34:00] to Thailand, go to India, go to Europe? I've traveled Europe before, and I, one at one point I said like, should I go back to Europe? it's jumping out of your comfort zone to a smaller, to another comfort zone.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I've been there, I've traveled there, it's a similar culture. it would be a small jump. something I didn't mention, I have dual citizenship, that made me decide,I said, okay, I'll buy a ticket to Spain. Once I'm there I'm out, that's the jump I need to make. So one day
I remember it was like eight o'clock, I was just in my bed with my computer. I just went the website and I went like, I'm buying it.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: my card and I clicked bye, as soon as I clicked by, I went like, what am I doing? Eh,
but yeah, then I just went to tell my mom, my dad. I don't remember if they knew I wanted to travel, so I think it [00:35:00] was like a big shock for them.
it was also a big shock for me. as soon as I
clicked it, I was like, did it. I, I, I'm realizing I'm.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: yeah. Oh my gosh. What a feeling.
I think probably a lot of people can relate to the fact of like, they maybe realize they have this dream or they have this thing they wanna do, but it feels so far away or they don't know how to even make that happen. Or there's always something, like you were saying,
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: always an excuse.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: So yeah, what feelings were going on for you in that time period where you knew you had something you wanted to do, but you couldn't bring yourself to do it. can you describe what was going through your head during that time?
It is very stressful because as you were saying, there's always something, you start planning something and then There's every
I.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: of things from concerts, family things, and every time you postpone it, you are like making things harder
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: You're just kicking your dream away.
Yeah, that's what [00:36:00] I was gonna say to you. probably when you were kept pushing it back, you didn't even realize
that that you were delaying it for yourself.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I, I regret not doing it before.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: it's just like, it's hard just jump, it's really, really hard. You just need to find the courage and say it's just one small action. In my case was just buy one ticket. I don't
Right.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: you, if the thing you wanna do is change your work You just need to take one more action, apply to a new job,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah. this just came to mind, but the quote. I don't know who said it, but the thing you fear the most is fear itself. not necessarily being in a new country and not knowing anybody you may think that's the fear, but once you're there, you're gonna figure it out.
there's no other option. But for you to figure it out,
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: You'll always figure it out.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: I, I think about that all the time if you look back on your life and the decisions you make and the decisions you didn't make, I would be so regretful if I [00:37:00] realized that every decision I made was because of fear and because I let fear control what I did and what I didn't do.
And I think even having the awareness of like, okay, fear is present, but it doesn't mean. I don't have to book a flight just because there's fear there, or I don't have to change a job just 'cause I'm scared of it. There's a lesson within everything you're saying right now of not letting fear dictate and control you,
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701:
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: when you were in this period, you're not exactly satisfied or maybe you think you're happy, but you're not, when you look back on it, what helped you get through that period? Because again, we've all been there.
It's hard, they're hard feelings to sit with when you are kind of disappointing yourself or not maybe living up to who you wanna be
n
Friends Are Family
---
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: ot only on this period, I realized friends and family are very important for me at least.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Even though I had friends and family going against me, had lots of friends [00:38:00] going with me and just supporting my idea and traveling. I met, like said, the people I met traveling, they become my family.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: if I'm away from home, I'm having a bad time. I don't have my, if I'm sick, I don't have my mom or my girlfriend to make me a soup. I have friends. And I've made soup for if, if I'm traveling with you and I meet you, I'll make you a soup because you're my family. Yeah. Connection.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: just connection, feel human interaction.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah. I mean, that was, I think that's also why we became such good friends quickly is like you're very authentic and genuine and, and vulnerable
But I think what you're saying about connection, especially when you're in a foreign place or when you're at home, like actually being vulnerable and talking about what's going on for you and what's honest for you and genuine for you, can have such a positive impact.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: But again, kind of going back to fear I think there is [00:39:00] a lot of fear around vulnerability and then it blocks us from ha from making amazing connections and meeting amazing people.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: And I mean, I think both of us probably would label ourselves as optimists, but I think generally, most people are good people.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I
feel
the same. bad things
happen, but people are.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Well, okay,
Going through these highs and lows periods, or even the period you're in right now? 'cause you're tech, you're kind of in a holding pattern right now, figuring out life back in Yeah. Figuring out life back in Columbia. what do you think has been a big shift for you in the low periods?
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: maybe positively or negatively? So I feel every low, every high, everything that has happened to me has made me who I'm, I lost my password on my first month of traveling and I was like, oh, Nico, what are you doing? that changed me like to be a more. Person while [00:40:00] traveling. I've had also low, like, feeling sad, missing people. then that sadness made me realize that I, I miss them more now that I have them here. Let's say now that I'm Columbia, like, I appreciate the time I spend with them,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah, there's such a different appreciation for it.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: like I just got back and life has changed so much everything is different, but I am different. I am more open-minded to more things. I've experienced so much within these changes and I value more the things that maybe I was not interested about when I was here.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah. You have such a different appreciation for home and
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: and everything, and
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: like the expectations I have for a new job are different,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: now that you're back in Columbia for the first time in two years and Yeah. it's kind of rebuilding life again. what's something you're [00:41:00] struggling with right now in the midst of the holding pattern?
Reverse Culture Shock
---
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: So it's been really hard to be back. I feel this jump traveling the world and being a free person, let's say, to come back to reality or like what I used to have. Has been very scary and,
Yeah,
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I feel it was scarier than jumping to the unknown of travel.
all my friends have changed. Some are married. I, I left the Columbia for six years.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: and it's been very hard to try to understand
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: I.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: changes and to accommodate my life or how I am right now. Thinking of how life was before.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: yeah, it's so tough. It's reverse culture shock to go back home, and be around so many people that their lives continued without you there. I've also had periods of that where I've been back at home for a couple months, or not like permanently moved home, but it's, it fucks with your head, [00:42:00] honestly.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: do you feel like there's this sense of feeling left behind even though you were the one that left?
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: Of course. I see all my friends working. Jobs, they're married, they have kids. And I'm like, I stayed behind.
I was talking with a friend a month ago about this. seeing my friends having amazing jobs. I could have in that job earning that much money, And then he told me like, yeah, Nico, but we all looked at you and we were all jealous of what you were doing. And I feel them and I'll never regret of traveling. But it's something that will always go through my mind.
What would have happened if I had stayed? would I
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: by now? Would I be a CEO?
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: a
Redefining Success
---
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: t the beginning of the conversation about how your family defines success and how you define success growing up, and I didn't ask [00:43:00] this earlier, but two questions within this one. Do you feel like that definition of success changed while you were traveling and then now that you're back home, is it going back to that old version of how you define success and how you're evaluating your life now?
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I feel that vision changed. feel success right now. It's way different what I was used to. I still can't figure what success is, but I feel I'm very close to it. I think I've accomplished a lot of things that I wanted in my life. There's still more things I wanna do, but I've done everything I can to do the things I want. Yeah. And I think that's success. Yes. Right now I need to look for a job. I need to sort my life out. part of the success I'm looking for, but I'm very close to it. I feel like every step I've made has made me closer to [00:44:00] the, to
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah. Well that's a beautiful place to be at.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: It is.
after living these amazing experiences. how does it feel to be on the other side of that?
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: does it feel empty now that you feel like it's complete? Do you feel content? Do you feel like you want to now come up with more dreams to, to go and do and have? Like where? Where's your head at now?
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I'm on the other side. success will never be a close end. Like you will always add some more things that you wanna Define a success. Have kids get married, When you have kids, you'll want grandchildren. every day, every month, you'll have more things that you want to check. We go
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Yeah,
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: to our
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: exactly.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: your bucket list will always grow.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: I love that. as we've talked about the highs and the lows of, of the heartbeat, of the holding patterns of the in-between, I've been asking everybody this question,
during all of your [00:45:00] low periods
what's something you can celebrate about the holding patterns that you've been through in your life?
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I can celebrate that. I've traveled the world, it was one of my dreams always, and I was always scared of jumping, going outside. The whole conversation has been like fear taking out, and I was always scared every day. I was scared of what's coming next, but I always managed to find success and sort my life out.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: I like that. So celebrating the, the fact that you have always figured it out and you're still moving forward and You're figuring it out again, right now as he's, as he's going through another transition period.
Advice to Younger Self
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ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: one last question for you go back to the 25-year-old version of Nico and the one who had never left his comfort zone and never done anything that really maybe scared him or sparked fear, if you could give a [00:46:00] piece of advice to help.
Him navigate all of these ups and downs that he's about to go through. Do you have any advice, any words of wisdom that you wish that you maybe had heard back then?
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: It's part of a song and I tattoo it on my body, song is in Spanish. I'll try to translate
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: you can say it in Spanish and then try and translate it.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: so the phrase is, and
what?
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: To be, happy is to be free.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: I would say it's free to be happy,
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: It's free to be happy. Okay. Yeah.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: and I would love to say that to my 25-year-old version, like just small things, just smile. it doesn't cost anything to someone on the street, make a friend, to watch a sunset and be happy.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: it's not easy, but it's free. your happiness, get your happiness [00:47:00] free. I love it. I love it. Can you say that phrase again in Spanish?
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716:
Goodbyes
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ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Well, thank you so much for chatting with me and sharing all your stories and insights. I always love talking to you, so I'm so glad we got to sit down and do this.
It was my pleasure talking with you. I always love talking with you. These deep conversations we have always,
Yeah, they're great.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: and just, just follow your dreams, guys.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: thank you. And maybe, maybe season two when I'm doing it in Spanish, nikas gonna be gonna be back.
nicolas-iriondo_1_03-05-2026_175701: bilingual. We'll try our best.
ashton_1_03-05-2026_145716: Exactly, exactly. Okay, well I will See everybody next episode, and thank you, Nico. [00:48:00]